Jessamine County KyArchives History - Books .....Quarter Session Judges 1898
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com August 5, 2007, 1:00 am

Book Title: A History Of Jessamine County, Kentucky

Quarter Session Judges.

   The first session of the Court of Quarter Sessions was held at the house of
Fisher Rice, in the county of Jessamine, on the 25th day of March, 1789.
Governor Garrard commissioned Joseph Crockett, William Shreve and Richard Young
as justices-of the Court of Quarter Sessions.

   The Court of Quarter Sessions then heard all matters except criminal matters,
and these were heard in the District Court at Lexington. These three gentlemen
were all present at Fisher Rice's on the said day, and they unanimously
appointed Samuel H. Woodson, clerk of the Jessamine County and Quarter Session
Court. Mr. Woodson immediately entered upon the discharge of his duties, with
Joseph Crockett as his security, his bond being in the sum of $1,000. Joshua
Lewis was on the same day appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions state's
attorney to prosecute causes for the Commonwealth within Jessamine county.

   The first lawyers to qualify in the county for the practice of law were
Joseph Lewis, William McDowell, Samuel Venable, and Fielding L. Turner. These
were all on that day qualified for practice in the Quarter Session Courts.
Fielding L. Turner was the father of the Hon. Oscar Turner, so long a
distinguished member of Congress from the First District of Kentucky. He removed
from Kentucky to New Orleans, where his son Oscar was born in 1829.

   On the following day, March 26, 1799, the first session of the court was
held, the members of the court having qualified on the previous day.

   The house of Fisher Rice was used as a place for holding Quarter Session
Courte for several years. Courts were also held at the house of Samuel H.
Watson, the clerk of said court, who then lived on the farm now the property of
the Shelys.

   In those days it was necessary to appoint commissioners to value certain
lands taken by the sheriff under execution. John Hawkins, Patrick Gray, Joseph
Chrisman, John McKinney, and Jonas Davenport were appointed said commissioners,
and this was the first order ever made by court of record in Jessamine county.

   The second grand jury of Jessamine county empaneled in the summer of 1799,
had for its foreman Manoah Singleton, and among its members were Francis Lowens,
Benjamin Netherland and Samuel Rice. The first indictment for selling whisky was
found at this term of court against William Patterson, and the information on
which this presentment or indictment was found was given by two members of the
grand jury, Frances Lowens and S. Walters.

   The first man who ever took out license to keep a tavern in Jessamine county
was Mai. Benjamin Netherland. A free negro, Bob Speed, was also a prominent
caterer in those days, and he also took out a license to keep tavern, and some
of the most prominent men, especially among the lawyers, have dined at h»s
tavern, which was at a corner on Main street immediately opposite the court house.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

A HISTORY OF JESSAMINE COUNTY, KENTUCKY,
FROM ITS EARLIEST SETTLEMENT TO 1898.
By BENNETT H. YOUNG,
PRESIDENT POLYTECHNIC SOCIETY; MEMBER FILSON CLUB; MEMBER CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION, 1890; AUTHOR HISTORY OF THE CONSTITUTIONS OF KENTUCKY, OF "BATTLE OF
BLUE LICKS, ETC, ETC.

S. M. DUNCAN, ASSOCIATE AUTHOR.

Every brave and good life out of the past is a treasure which cannot  be
measured in money, and should be preserved with faithfullest care.

LOUISVILLE, KY.: COURIER-JOURNAL JOB PRINTING CO., 1898.


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